Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thanksgiving has some wonderful traditions. It brings families together to give thanks, catch up and pass down beloved recipes. It’s a wonderful reminder to focus on the good things in life. But its presentation is nowhere near perfect.
Growing up on Kodiak Island, an island south of Alaska, my education was heavily influenced by native traditions. We studied totem poles, created traditional beadwork and attended Alutiiq museums and dance ceremonies. In short, the native point of view was never far from my mind.
Lawrence is lucky to have a strong Native American influence as well. And though it’s not a new topic, I can’t help but consider how the modern conception of Thanksgiving is perceived by our Native American population.
In most media, the first Thanksgiving is boiled down to a happy-go-lucky picnic cartoon. The Indians, with their feathered headdresses, happily share food with the friendly Pilgrims, who wear massive belt buckles and black suits. In some schools, it’s even taught that the Pilgrims did the sharing.
In reality, the Wampanogs didn’t wear feathered headdresses and the Pilgrims didn’t wear giant buckles. The natives gave aid, as per Wampanog tradition, but things definitely weren’t tension-free. European slave traders had entered the territory decades prior, creating an immense distrust between the two peoples. And the Pilgrims were incapable of sharing. They were starving when Squanto found them.
The underlying lesson of charity and idealism of the first Thanksgiving story is noble, but naive. It’s impossible to create the kind of equality portrayed by just glossing over one of the most brutal eras of America’s history. Instead of creating millions of construction paper turkeys, children could be taught the traditions of their local tribes. The University can do its part by hosting more cultural events to celebrate the holiday. I’ve seen several Veteran’s Day events on the University’s online calendar, but no programming for Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving hasn’t just drifted culturally, but commercially as well. Last year’s Black Friday deaths at Walmart make it startlingly clear that things have gotten out of hand. But Thanksgiving has been used for capitalistic purposes as early as the 1930s.
Brooke Hansen, associate professor of anthropology and Native American studies, said President Franklin D. Roosevelt “moved Thanksgiving to the third week in November so there would be a longer holiday shopping season.”
Considering the economic situation at the time, it made sense to stimulate the economy in any way possible. It just seems to have spiraled out of control.
There are alternatives. Buy Nothing Day, which is held on Black Friday has opposed Thanksgiving-centered consumerism for 20 years, and is now celebrated in 65 countries. It’s a wonderful way to refocus and simplify the way we celebrate. Instead of camping out overnight to buy sale-priced electronics, we can stay warm with our families.
Use the evening to explore your family traditions, learn about your local tribe and reflect on the progress we’ve made — and the progress still to come. Take the holiday back to its roots, and remember what it’s really about. Be thankful, and focus on a better future.
— Lytton is a Kodiak, Ala., senior in creative writing
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